Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-08-04
One Year for AIphonso.

swindling dodge by which he cheated
Judge Clementson out of six dollars,
came bebore Judge Carter last Saturday
and pleaded guilty to the charge of
obtaining money under false pretences.
The extreme penalty of the law is five
years in the State Penitentiary, but Judge
Carter, saw fit to temper justice with
mercy, and sentenced him to one year |
at Waupon at hard labor with one days |
solitary confinement. Potter, whose
lachrymal glands during his imprison-
ment here have been in very sympa-
thetic state, cried like baby when sem
tence was pronounced and begged for
mercy on account of his wife and "chil-
dren'' and for the sake of his father and
mother. Since Potter's arrest, evidence
has been pouring in on all sides to show
that he is an old hand at such tricks
and that he has been trying the same
game for years with varying success.
Judge Carter passed by the previous
offences and in pronouncing sentence on
him, took into consideration only the
offence committed here.
A great many letters have been re-
ccived by Judge Clementson and also
by District Attorney Murphy making
inquiries about 1.-The man Potter recently
arrested at Lancaster" and giving an
account of some delicate little transac-
ton in which this same Potter had
figured as needy stranger with infu-
ence at court. He seems to have fol-
lowed no calling but that of the gentle
manly thief. Being too cowardly to
take the risk of professional burglary,
he has carried ON for years series of
petty thievings, obtaining here and there
from different persons small sums of
money by false representations. but al
ways sums so small that he hoped to es-
cape arrest. This plan had succeeded
admirably until Potter struck Lancas-
ter, and tired his knavery on Judge
Clementson, who promptly had him ar
res ted.
In letter from Judge Dyer whose
nephew Potter claimed to be, the Judge
says that for years Potter has been going
about representing himself as his nephew
and getting or attempting to get money
from lawyers and Judges on such repre-
sensations.
He went to Judge Blodgett, of Chica-
go, who telegraphed Judge Dyer, and
discovered the fraud, but another
prominent Chicago lawyer gave him
money on Judge Dyer's name.
A letter from Kenosha encloses a
promissory note given by potter to the
Rector of st. Mathews church in that
city whom he swindled out of $500 by
representing himself as 1.-THE postmaster
of Hurley" in need of a little temporary
assistance, taking oath to the truth of
his statement before signing the note.
"Alphonso Potter, p NJ. Hurley, Wis"
Wilmot & Moore of the Excelsior
Business and Shorthand College of Mil
waukee, when they saw the notice of
Potter's arrest, wrote to Judge Clement
son that figuring las the son of an old
acquaintance, Potter had euchered
them out of small sum of money.
The cashier of the Iron Exchange
Bank of Hurley, wrote to the District
Attorney, on seeing notice of Potter's
detention here. stating that for six
months one AL. POTTER had been drawing
checks on that bank all over the country,
though he never had cent in the Hur-
ley Bank. The banks where the money
was drawn were of course the losers.
The Farmers and Merchants Bank
of New Lisbon, the State Bank of st.
Johns, Michigan, the Yankton Bank and
the Stoughton Bank have all been taken
in by Potter's Misrepresentation, and
induced to give him money under vari-
Gus pretenses.
From the collectors office at Madison
comes more testimony against the much
SHINING Potter. Mr.. A. C. Parkinson
three years ago received call from Mr..
Potter, gentleman" finely attired and
at that time travelling" for "Brick
Pomeroy's paper in Denver" so he
said. The story he told was are petition
of the many unfortunate accidents al
ways Detailing the poor fellow, lost
purse and great need of little money
to get back to friends in Chicago. Mr..
Parkinson told him that he thought he
was sharper, but that there was bare
possibility that he was an honest man
overcome by misfortune and that he was
willing to invest $40 in him. Potter
promised to return it the following day
and disappeared, and was unheard of
until Mr.. Parkinson saw of his being
jailed here, and recognized his chance
acquaintance.
Potter's wife (the children are those
of his imagination) and his father, ex-
pressed sincere grief IN writing of the
affair, but refused to say much in re-
gare to his previous life, not wishing to
bear witness against him, and knowing
no good that could be said.
Altogether Potter career has been an
unsavory one. We hear no accounts of
his ever having tried to do anything or
be any thing but swindler. One of the
worst features of his particular kind of
meanness is that such men make it
almost impossible for worthy person
in distress to get assistance, for after
once being "confdenced'' people are
afraid to trust any tale of woe, unless
there is absolute proof of its verify.
DIED. AT Lancaster, Wednesday
morning August 5. Mrs. Mary Ann
Walker, widow of the late David